1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to furniture which serves multiple functions and may be readily assembled or disassembled. Specifically, the invention relates to a combination staircase and cabinet which meets most building code requirements and occupies a very small space in a home.
2. Description of the Related Art
Furniture which combines the functions of a staircase with some storage capability has been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 310,149 describes a combined seat, drawer, step and shelving for stores; U.S. Pat. No. 487,117 describes a step for shelves; U.S. Pat. No. 1,635,183 discloses a combined stool, steps and tool box; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,479,736 discloses a stair stand. Similarly, a combination cabinet and step ladder is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,030,166, and a device entitled, "Ladder Furniture," is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,077. All of these patents involve attempts at solving a problem of providing furniture which serves more than one function in order to reduce wasted space in a household. However, none of these patents discloses or suggests a structure which may practically be used as a staircase in a typical home or building as a replacement for a traditional staircase and also serve as a cabinet. Staircases occupy an excessive amount of space in a building, and this creates a particular problem when floor space is limited.
One type of stairs which has been used to reduce the required space is so called "alternating step" staircase. In general, this type of staircase can be constructed to meet typical building code requirements while occupying a smaller space than conventional stairs. With the increasing use of modular or prefabricated construction, there is also a need for the ability to easily ship and assemble such stairs. An example of such a stair case is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,200.
Particularly in the design of very small homes, or so called "mini homes," the need to reduce wasted space is critical. In such homes, it is important to utilize every possible space in the most efficient manner.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to efficiently utilize the space required for a staircase by employing a compact construction and combining the staircase function with that of a cabinet.
It is a further object of the present to provide a staircase cabinet which can be rapidly assembled and disassembled, can be readily shipped, and meets general building code requirements.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a combination staircase and cabinet which has a minimum number of parts and can be easily constructed.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the invention.